Wall construction.



J. T. RIDGEWAY.

WALL CONSTRUCTION,

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18. 1915.-

Patented July 10, 1917.

' qRlLbwwom Q M $4 w mwpa JOHN T. RIDGEWAY, OF HILLSBORO, OHIO.

WALL CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed November 18, 1915.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. RIDGEWAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hillsboro, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in *Wall Constructions; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in walls constructed of a number of building blocks disposed end to end to form a number of tiers piled one upon the other. In the present embodiment of the invention, the wall is intended to be used for the construction of a silo, but obviously, it could well be employed for other purposes.

The main object of the invention is to provide means for reinforcing the joints between the hollow blocks used and to prevent the mortar placed between the meeting ends of such blocks from being wasted by running into said blocks.

Another object is to provide a novel type of connection between the ends of reinforcing strips or bands used between the several tiers of blocks.

'With the above objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and in unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawing which constitutes a part of this application.

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a wall constructed in accordance with the invention F ig. 2 is a horizontal section as viewed on the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical longitudinal sections taken respectively on the plane indicated by the lines 3-3 and 4. l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the plane designated by the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing two of the blocks. and the reinforcing and filling block for connecting the same; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the joint between two of the reinforcing strips.

In specifically describing the invention,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1917.

Serial No. 62,149.

reference will be made to the drawings above briefly described by similar reference characters placed on corresponding parts throughout the several views. To this end, the numeral 1 indicates broadly the improved wall composed of a number of tiers of substantially rectangular blocks 2 disposed end to end. One end of the wall 1 is shown as abutting one upright side plate 3 of an appropriate door frame to which the door 4: is connected by hooks or the like 5, this arrangement of parts being preferable when the wall used for the construction of silos.

I have stated above that the wall 1 is composed of a number of blocks 2, but in addi tion to such blocks very similar but shorter blocks 2 are used. all of the blocks 2 and 2 are of hollow open-ended formation having top and bottom walls 6 and 7 respectively and upright side walls 8, the walls 6 and 7 being formed with longitudinally extending external grooves 9 for a purpose yet to appear.

The blocks 2 are provided with crossed upright and horizontal reinforcing Webs 10 and 11 respectively whose opposite ends ter minate in upright planes spaced inwardly from and disposed parallel to the upright ends of the blocks.

The blocks 2 are equipped with crossed upright and horizontal webs 10 and 11 re spectively, which extend from the plane of one end of said blocks to an upright plane spaced inwardly and disposed in parallel re lation to the other end thereof. In constructing a wall, the blocks 2 and 2 are so disposed as to position the inwardly spaced ends of their webs adjacent each other, whereby appropriate rectangular filling blocks 12 may be inserted in the adjacent open ends of said blocks. The filling blocks 12 contact with the ends of the crossed webs in the blocks 2 and 2 and thus space the adjacent ends of said blocks an appropriate distance to allow the proper amount of mortar 13 to be applied therebetween, said blocks being formed with four flat sides contacting with the walls 6, 7 and 8, whereby to reinforce the meeting ends of the several blocks and at the same time to prevent mortar from being wasted by forcing it into the interior of the blocks.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the blocks 2 and 2 are equipped with internal longitudinally extending ribs 14 formed on the inner sides of the walls 6 and 7, whereby to reinforce the portions of such walls weakened by the grooves 9. The ribs in question are received in longitudinal grooves 15 formed in the upper and lower faces of the filling blocks 12, when a multi plicity of blocks is assembled in the construction of a wall.

It will be observed by reference to the drawings that theblocks 2 are only used at the ends of the wall 1, whereby to cause the blocks 2 of the superimposed tiers to break joints, or in other words, causing the intermediate portions of the blocks of one tier to. be disposed contiguous to the meeting ends of the blocks of adjacent tiers. The remainder of the wall is built up of the blocks 2.

The grooves 9 receive therein a number of reinforcing strips 16, such strips being shown as of flat formation standing on edge.

The endmost of the strips'16 are provided at one end with hooks, eyes or the like 17 engaging hasps or similar devices 18 secured to the outer side of the bar 3. In silo construction, bands are formed of a number of the strips 16 joined together with the oppo site ends of such bands secured to opposite sides of the door frame, whereby the circular tiers of blocks are prevented from spreading. When used in this manner, the strips 16 will be embedded in cement or other suitable mortar as shown at 19 in the drawings.

In order to provide a simple and efficient connection between the several strips 16, the ends thereof are provided with transverse angular corrugations 20 whereby the corrugations of the several strips may interen gage when the ends of such strips are overlapped as shown in Fig. 2 and as indicated in Fig. 8. In orderto prevent the overlapping ends of the strips from spreading be fore the mortar 19 hardens or sets, arched clips 21 are provided, such clips being adapted to straddle said overlapped ends and to engage the corrugations thereof as clearly shown. Obviously, the strips 16 are placed in the upper grooves of one tier of blocks before the next tier is placed thereon, and after engaging the ends of said strips in the manner described, mortar will beplaced in the grooves 9 around the same and upon the upper wall of the blocks on opposite sides of said grooves. The blocks of the next tier are now placed in position upon this green mortar, the upper edges of the strips 16 being then received in the lowermost grooves 9 of said last named tier. It is to be observed that the numerous blocks so rest upon the clips 21 as to prevent upward movement thereof, this being rather essential since all joints between the strips 16 are thereby held against spreading while the mortar is hardening, it being obvious that such joints will remain active as long as the clips 21 are in position thereon.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates that I have not only provided comparatively simple means for constructing silo walls and the like without the use of skilled labor, but that the wall when completed will be highly efficient and durable. Particular 6H1- phasis is laid upon the manifold functions of the filling blocks 12, and their manner of coaction with the other blocks, but the manner of connecting the ends of the strips 16 is considered equally as important.

I claim 1. In combination, a lower tier of blocks disposed end to end and formed with a longitudinal groove in its upper side, reinforcing strips standing on edge in said groove and having overlapping ends corrugated transversely for interengagement, and an arched one piece wire clip straddling said overlapping corrugated ends to retain the same in engagement until mortar to be placed -in the groove is allowed to harden.

The combination with a pair of hollow openended building blocks disposed end to end and spaced apart to receive mortar thercbetween, and a connecting block inserted in said ends and ext-ending across the space between the same; of reinforcing webs in said pair of blocks abutting the ends of said connecting block to retain said pair in correctly spaced relation and to prevent eX- cessive insertion of said connecting block in either of the other blocks.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN T. RIDGEWAY. Witnesses:

FRANK A. COLLEN, HARRY KENDALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

